CSUSM to Generate Electricity with New Solar Panels

CSUSM to Generate Electricity with New Solar Panels Cal State San Marcos is one of 15 state university campuses that will soon be generating some of its own electricity thanks to solar panels that will be installed on the rooftops of Kellogg Library, Academic Hall and Science Hall I.The panels are expected to generate about 15 percent of the demand the university uses each day, said Ed Johnson, director of facility services.“That’s an energy equivalent to supplying the total annual energy to 12 homes. More importantly, it reduces demand on the local electrical infrastructure and the possibility of local brownouts during the high demand times of the day.”Work on the panels will begin in 2009.This project was made possible by an agreement put together by the State of California’s Department of General Services (DGS), the California State University and solar service provider SunEdison. The innovative public-private partnership is designed to bring affordable solar power to the university system.The other CSU campuses participating are Bakersfield, Channel Islands, Chico, Fullerton, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Monterey Bay, Pomona, Sacramento, San Bernardino (San Bernardino and Palm Desert campuses), San Francisco, Stanislaus and the Maritime Academy. The Chancellor’s Office is also participating.With the agreement, about 25 percent of power at the CSU campuses will come from sustainable sources.